Circular electrical outlet



March 29; 1949. F. 'J. BARANY CIRCULAR ELECTRICAL OUTLET Fi led Feb. 25, 1946 INVENTOR.

BY AT ORNEY Patented Mar. 29, 1949 ITED 2 Claims.

This invention relates to an electrical receptacle.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a circular electrical outlet receptacle adapted to be positioned about a supporting object such as the trunk of a Christmas tree.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a two-part, circular electrical outlet adapted to retain itself in engaged relation about a supporting object and provided with a plurality of electrical outlets.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a circular electrical outlet comprising a simple assembly of identically formed body parts holding and spacing a pair of current conductors in operative relation, and providing means for access to the said conductors as by the connection plug of an electrical appliance.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a circular electrical outlet including means facilitating electrical energization of the conductors formed therein.

The circular electrical outlet shown and described herein has been devised to form a more efiicient means of supplying electrical energy to a multiplicity of individual circuits such as can be employed in connection with decorative illumination of a Christmas tree.

It is known that electric lights are commonly used for decorative purposes on Christmas trees and that of necessity a considerable number of pairs of conductors must be connected to a single source of electric energy such as a conventional electrical outlet on the wall of a room in which the Christmas tree is located.

The present invention relates to a device which will facilitate this connection of the various lighting circuits employed on the tree and will also facilitate the placement of a plurality of individual electric lights, each of which has a pair of conductors leading to a current source. The device is formed of two parts which are easily as sembled about the trunk of the Christmas tree. In assembled position the device completes the electrical circuit through the conductors in the circular electrical outlet, and at the same time holds the device in electrical position and thereby in self-supporting position on the Christmas tree.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of the circular electrical outlet.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional elevation taken on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional elevation taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional elevation taken on line 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional elevation taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

By referring to the drawings and Figure 1 in particular, it will be seen that a circular electrical outlet has been disclosed which takes the form of two half-circular body members l0 and ll, respectively, and each of which body members I0 and H comprises a two-part subassembly as shown in the cross sectional views comprising Figures 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings. In these figures, the top portion of the subassembly is indicated by the numeral WA and the bottom portion by the numeral MB.

In Figure 1 of the drawings, the circular electrical outlet is shown with the two half-circular sections thereof in disengaged relation. The left hand portion of the uppermost half is shown broken away to more clearly illustrate the uppermost surface of the lower portion IBB of the subassembly forming the portion In of the circular electrical outlet, and to illustrate the formation therein of a pair of channels 12 and l3.

Positioned in the channels 12 and I3 are a pair of conductors l4 and [5 which take the form of metallic strips positioned on their edges in the channels l2 and I3 and retained in that position by the application of the upper half "IA of the subassembly.

At intervals along the metallic conductors l4 and I5 loop portions l6 and I! have been added as by spot welding the same to the conductors l4 and 15. The loop portions It and 11, as illusregister between the same and the loops l6 and l7 formed thereon, a plurality of pairs of radially spaced openings 98 and 19 are formed in both portions MA and I013 of the subassembly making up each of the halves l and H of the circular electrical'outletz This. construction is best shown in cross sectional view-comprising Figure 4 of the drawings. It will be observed that electrical connection prongs can be inserted into the circular-L electrical outlet from either the top. or the bottom, as desired.

The subassembly portions IDA and lOB areQ assembled with respect to one another by means of a plurality of rivets 20 or-"anyromparable fastening means which pass through the twoportions IA and B and therefore hold the assembly in ,assembledposition. .A cross sectional detail ofloneof therivets '2llis illustrated in Figure 3 ofthe drawings and its relation to the conductors M-and in the channels l2 and i3 is shown.

7 3 Inprderthat the circular electrical outlet may be energized, means for engaging a conventional electricaloutletis incorporated and, as shown in Figures 11 and 5.of the-drawings, consists of a pair of depending prongs 2| whichare spot welded 01' otherwiseafiixedto theelectrical conductors l4 and I 5 and extend downwardly through thesubassembly. [DB-by wayaofla pair of openings22 formed therein. It will be observedrthat the sub-l assemblyrlfiA-tis provided. with a pair .of channels HA and |3A which registen with the channels. l2 ,and' 13 -formed in .the. suba'ssembly' B; To-

gether these channels l2 and 12A and: I3 andl3A form convenient and practical means of positioning the conductors l4 and I5.

In order. that, the two half portions l 0 and I -l of thecircular electrical-outlet, may be positioned, together, as in locating:the circular electrical outlet about thetrunkof-a Christmas tree,.-op-;

positelydisposedprong and'socketmembers have been formed-oneachiof the end-sectionsof each of the portions 10 and H of the-circular electrical outlet These constructionsrarecbest shown-oin Figure 1 ofthe drawings.

Byagain referringito Figure -1 of the drawings-w it will be seen that a prongw23is afilxed' asby spot-welding-or otherwiserto one-end of the-conductorl4 and that it has ran-.areal-of enlarged diameterpas indicatedrbytheenumeral 24;formed thereon which registers with ofiset portions 25 formed :on the channel :1 2. iThei opposite end ofthetconductonl 4 is providediwith a: tubular socket 26awhich is spot .weldedvor otherwise =-affixed:to

the-conductor :M and it hasianfarearof enlarged" diameter 27 formed thereabout which registers with ofisetsZB formed in-t'he'channel 2 which are referred to.- .:-The-socket 26 is also provided. t-with-= anareanf reduceddiameten'ZQ which-is adapted to create a" spring-liketension onethe-- connection prong inserted thereinto. In this connection .it will be-seen that the-connection prong: 23 .is provided ewithan-iarea; 20f reducedediameteri 30 so a that-lit =will-snap intosipositioni-in -the socket-in which it, is placed-andzbe held thereby-,zthus hold-,

ing the two halves l0 and l l of the circular electrical outlet in assembled position about a support and at the same time establish electrical connection between the two halves of the device.

The conductor i5 is provided with duplicate end constructions but in reversed relationship, a socket 3| being aflixed to the end of the metallic conductor l5 and adjacent the prong 23 and a prong 32 afiixed to the other end of the conductor t5 and positioned adjacent the socket 26. It will be noted that the description given referred to the uppermost half of the circular electrical outlet illustrated in Figure 1, a portion of which has been broken away so that its construction may be more readily seen.

It will be observed thatthe lower half of the circular electrical outlet is an exact duplicate in all respects with the exception that it is provided with the downwardly depending prongs 2| through which energization of the device is made. It isobvious that if desired these can also be incorporated in the lower half of the device rather than in the upper half, as shown.

Itwill thus be seen that a simple and efficient circular electrical outlet has been disclosed which may be positioned about the trunk of a Christmas tree, snapped into assembled position and energized by connecting it to the end of a drop cord ;the formation ofa circular electrical outlet which is energized when itis assembled and connected to a current source and that the means of connecting the halves in an electrical circuit is also the means for holding the device in assembled relation The component parts may be simply and economically formed as onemold will sufiice for the formation of the four bodysections comprising the two subassemblies 10A and [030i each half II] and H. The-conductors are of simply, easily formed construction'and are automatically retained in position in the device by the assembly of the same.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim is:

1. A circular supporting multiple electrical outlet comprising two half-circular body members each formed of two half-circular sections secured together in oppositely disposedrelation, matching grooves formed on the registering surfaces truding beyondthe half-circular-body members;

and socket members formed on two of the'con-I ductors and within the half-circular body menialbers, the prongs and sockets adapted to register with one another, and a pair of prongs, one 'at tached to each of the said conductors, and depending below the said body members .to provide means for energizing the said conductors.

2. A circular electrical outlet comprising twohalf-circular bodies each'formed of two halfcircular body sectionsand means holdingtha half-circular body sections. .together, radiallyspaced grooves iormedin eachof theopposing. surfaces of the half-circular body sections and metallic conductors positioned in said grooves;

5 clips ailixed longitudinally to each of the said conductors at intervals along the lengths thereof, spaced pairs of openings formed in the body members in registry with the said clips, a pair of depending prongs aflixed one to each of the said conductors and extending beyond the said bodies to provide means for connecting an electrical circuit to the said conductors and prongs afllxed on the ends of two of the conductors and extending beyond the ends of the half-circular 10 bodies, and socket members formed on two of the conductors and positioned within the bodies, the prongs and the sockets adapted to register with one another and hold the half-circular bodies of the electrical outlet together.

FRANK J. BARANY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,613,959 Propp Jan. 11, 1927 1,717,836 Conner June 18, 1929 1,891,341 Barocas Dec. 20, 1932 2,047,045 Veenboer July 7, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 8,349 Great Britain 1914 343,334 France Oct. 1, 1904 470,252 France Sept. 3, 1914 

